Going solo - do you drive?

[WillCAD]

This board is a little slow lately, so I thought I'd start a new thread or two to kick-start things.

I'm a die-hard car renter. To me, driving is like breathing - if I can't do it for myself, I turn blue and pass out. So I always rent a car, which not only frees me from the shackles of the Disney Transportation System and takes care of my airport transfers, but allows me to go off-site for shopping and dining.

I am the type who gets lost easily. I miss exits and landmarks, I get turned around when leaving a parking lot (Did I come in this entrance? Or that other one?), and I forget the names or numbers of roads. But even so, I have never been intimidated by the prospect of driving someplace I have never been, and after so many trips to WDW, I know the roads from MCO to WDW and around the WDW/LBV area well enough that I rarely get lost these days.

How about you? When you go solo, do you drive? If you do, do you just use it to go from MCO to WDW, or do you explore off-site a little? Do you have a tough time finding your way?

 

[Simba's Mom]

No I never drive when I go to WDW, for 2 reasons. For one thing, I'm not comfortable with how to get around and would probably be involved in or at least cause too many accidents trying to read road signs while I drove. The other reason is that one of the things I enjoy when I'm solo is talking to others or just listening to others' excitement on the bus at WDW. Matter of fact, I enjoy it so much, I was thinking of taking a whole day to just ride the bus from place to place on my next solo trip.

 

[Vivianne]

Uh-oh Be prepared to get lost.

DH and I always rent a car. Even with GPS on our laptop computer we get lost sometimes. I have a very good sense of direction, however, from time to time we lose our way. Be prepared to get lost. If you get lost enough times maybe you'll remember how to get back.

 

[bavaria]

I drive all the time - since my first trip. (probably over 70 trips now to WDW - lost count!)

But I also am in a different city/state every two weeks and rent a car each time. It's an adventure I enjoy.

And the WDW roads are so well marked, it's hard to get lost.

I like the convenience of a car for dinner at resorts, etc. Usually I'll be the driver and my friends will rely on me for the chaffeur service.

 

[WDW Poly Princess]

Nope!

I worked as a courier for a few years, which meant driving 4-12 hours every day, even though I didn't like driving! After that, I drive as little as possible Give me that monorail/boat/bus! (preferably in that order). I hardly ever go off property, though, which factors into the choice (plus I have friends in the Orlando area that I can use for taxi purposes )

 

[Alacrity]

Another no to the vote. Once on property it's the boats, monorail or bus!

 

[RussH]

I have always driven solo twice a year to Orlando. Every year is has been a Get home from work around 5 pack the truck and to bed. (fall right to sleep must be all that Army training so long ago) get up and on the road by 1:30 am Saturday with the cruise set on 83 once I pass Wilder KY. With minimum stops best time was 12.5 hours. That is not going to happen this year leaving at noon Friday drive to FL/GA border and get a motel for 5-6 hours. Be at POP by 10-10:30 and at Dawa by openiing.

Once unloaded I never drive using WDW transportation everywhere. It works just fine for my needs. The only drive while there is over to UF for a day or two.
Orlando is one of the easiest cities to get around it seems like the signs are well placed and extra large just for the visitors.

 

[ep4244]

No driving for me . It's my vacation and as a single mom I have to drive everywhere at home. Sure, there are times I wish I had a car, but it's outweighed by the pleasure of just sitting back, relaxing, and letting someone else take me from point a to point b.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

I've been known to drive a time or two. It depends on how I'm feeling. I don't like waiting for transport when my feet are killing me but watching people ride the various modes of transportation for the first time in their lives can be amusing.

For a purely Disney time I tend to drive to specific places such as off-site for food or shopping or if I want to go to a different resort....plus Animal Kingdom...I always drive there.

PS. I've driven a lot around Orlando and I gotta say...the signs are only well placed if you are on the main tourists drags. Since my biggest goal while driving is to avoid I-4 I find a map is a wonderful thing cuz the signs don't help.

 

[TDC Nala]

I've driven down there twice. Love having the car, except that it's pretty tempting to just drive it over to PI, and when I do that I have to stick to Diet Coke. Same thing for meals...if I'm driving, no wine. I can't meet my friends at Rose & Crown to hang at the pub if I have to go get my car afterward, unless I have Diet Coke, and what fun is that?

It takes me 13 hours straight driving to get down there, and I'd rather have a two hour plane flight.

I hardly ever rent cars...Disney transportation, while slow, is much cheaper.

 

[CoasterAddict]

I've been there w/a car and w/o. Now that they've started Magical Express I tend to go without and save the rental car $$ for a treat once I'm there a tour or a special meal. You do need to factor in more travel time if you're park hopping, though.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I always have a car when at WDW solo, since I drive or take the Amtrak AutoTrain. I would feel very not-in-control if I had no car. Guess I just like having my freedom to chose car or bus! I know the roads around LBV and Disney very well now.

On my trip last week, I was so glad I had my car as the MK buses from POR were always crowded, and once I had to wait for three MK buses until there was room to get on. And I like to park hop in the middle of the day, and I know that Disney buses can be few and far between in the mid-afternoon at a park bus stop, so with my own care I can leave whenever. But I do like taking Disney Transportation if it's not too crowded, and love taking boats and the monorail, of course!

Last week, I had dinner reservations at Trail's End in the campground. I was staying at POR. I figured I would have to take the bus to MK then the boat to FW, or go to DD and get the FW bus. I would probably have to allow an hour to do all of this. Then I remembered that POR is very close to the campground, and probably a four minute drive in my car, then one bus ride to Trail's End. So I drove, so instead of an hour, it took me about 12 minutes! Having a car can really help!

But overall, I doubt I would go to Disney if I did not have a car, since I really don't want to fly.

 

[Debi]

As a solo, I love the freedom of having a car. I don't feel tied to Disney's transportation system, and going off property is very convenient with a car (I'm a typical woman - I love shopping at the offsite outlets, malls, etc.). I wouldn't drive from NJ to WDW (I couldn't stand a 16+ hour drive by myself), but I love driving around WDW.

 

[puggymom]

I have to have a car, I would feel trapped without it. I'm fortunate that I get free Emerald Aisle membership at work and great deals too.

 

[PaulaSB12]

Another one who doesn't drive in Disney. For three reasons

1 If I want to drink when eating I can't
2 I get lost in the uk so what chance have I got?
3 They only drive automatic cars and I HATE THEM!!!!!!!

Just got back from Orlando yesterday and had no trouble with the Disney transportation and only had 1 trip on an overcrowded i ride bus. The hotels buses to animal kingdom and the other parks where quite late, and the magic kingdom left at 720 so I got that one there and used disney transport. As for getting back, I had an I ride pass so used the lynx 50 to get back to sea world and then the i ride back to the hotel, and I plan to go back next September.

 

[gjw007]

I always drive. Its a 14 to 15 hour drive down and it provides the freedom to just do whatever I like. Also, I don't like to be a prisoner of Disney's (or anyone else's) transportation system. I've gone to Orlando enough that I feel comfortable with the area (and driving there is easier than driving in D.C.).

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

Funny, I interpreted this thread differently when I first saw it. Now that I live in the Atlanta Metro I drive to Orlando but other than scurrying around shopping for food or whatever on day one the car stays parked. On my last trip I drove because I met people down there and that was the easiest way to handle things but otherwise...let the car rest up for the return home.

 

[lonegungirl]

Always drive. I did 1 trip where I didn't, and was less happy than the other times, managing to miss/be late for everything because I couldn't estimate how long it was going to take me to get anywhere (sometimes 15 minutes, sometimes 1 hour...)

Plus I like to go to the outlets and eat at the different resorts, which would take an inconvenient amount of time to transfer between buses, etc.

 

[Laurabearz]

I cant wait to rent a convertable to tool around WDW in... with no kiddos, I can get a sporty car and feel the wind in my hair!!

 

[jsmla]

In 22 days I'm leaving for my first solo trip after many, many family trips and I'll be driving. I've always driven in the past and think I'll prefer it even more solo. While I appreciate the efficiency of the Disney busses I much prefer my own wheels.

Jennifer

PS. For those of you who get lost, I used to write down the directions from my resort to each park on a 3X5 card and just keep them in my car. It really, really helped!